Eden Prairie, Minnesota
Composed of large lakes and ponds, the city has more than of multi-use trails, of parks, and of open space. Previously a bedroom suburb in the 1960s, the city is now home to more than 2,200 businesses and headquarters for Supervalu, ADC Telecommunications, MTS Systems Corporation and the Minnesota Vikings. Regionally known for Eden Prairie Center, it is also the hub for SouthWest Transit, serving public transportation to three adjacent suburbs. Eden Prairie was selected as the 10th best place to live in the United States by Money Magazine in 2006.
The name Eden Prairie is attributed to Elizabeth Fries Ellet, an East Coast writer who visited the area in 1852. In her travelogue book, Summer Rambles in the West. By Mrs. Ellet. she described the Minnesota River valley, which adjoins the current day City of Eden Prairie, as the garden spot of the territory
History
For most of its existence, Eden Prairie has been a slow-growing, pastoral village on the far southwestern fringes of the Twin Cities area. Between 1880 and 1960, Eden Prairie’s population grew by only 1,300 people, from 739 to 2,000.Native Americans were the first to live in the area. In 1851, a treaty opened land west of the Mississippi River to settlement allowing pioneers to settle in what is now Eden Prairie. The town board of Eden Prairie held its first meeting in a log school house on May 11, 1858, the same day Minnesota became a state. However, Eden Prairie's farming community grew slowly over the years. Flying Cloud Airport was the first sign of big development in 1946. The 1960s and 1970s were decades of growth for the City's parks and recreation system. In the mid-70's, the community earned a higher profile with the addition of Interstate Highway 494 and the Eden Prairie Shopping Center. Eden Prairie became a Village in 1962 and a statutory city in 1974.
Etymology
The city owes its name to Elizabeth Fries Ellet, an East Coast writer who visited the area in 1852. In her travelogue book, Summer Rambles in the West. By Mrs. Ellet. she described the Minnesota River valley, which adjoins the current day City of Eden Prairie, as the garden spot of the territory.The celebrated valley of the Minnesota River—called St. Pierre by the French, and until recently, St. Peter's—extends in a general direction from west to east, and, with the country along its tributaries, forms the garden spot of the territory. (Ellet, 1853, p. 112)
Eden Prairie is colloquially referred to as "E.P."
Geography
Eden Prairie is located approximately southwest of Minneapolis along the northern side of the Minnesota River. It is located at at an elevation of 906 feet (276 m).
Interstate 494, U.S. Routes 169 and 212, and Minnesota State Highways 5 and 312 are five of the main routes in the city.
The land in Eden Prairie consists of rolling hills and bluffs overlooking the Minnesota River with zones of prairie and mixed (primarily deciduous) forests.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 35.2 square miles (91.2 km²)—32.4 square miles (83.9 km²) of it is land and 2.8 square miles (7.3 km²) of it (8.04%) is water.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 54,901 people, 20,457 households, and 14,585 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,695.1 people per square mile (654.4/km²). There were 21,026 housing units at an average density of 649.2 per square mile (250.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 72.66% White, 11.28% African American, 0.21% Native American, 5.82% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.50% from other races, and 1.50% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.57% of the population.There were 20,457 households out of which 42.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.3% were married couples living together, 7.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.7% were non-families. 22.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 3.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.20.
In the city the population was spread out with 30.5% under the age of 18, 6.2% from 18 to 24, 35.6% from 25 to 44, 22.9% from 45 to 64, and 4.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 96.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.8 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $55,328, and the median income for a family was $62,258. Males had a median income of $61,303 versus $38,196 for females. The per capita income for the city was $38,854. About 12.8% of families and 13.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.9% of those under age 18 and 6.3% of those age 65 or over.
Politics
Eden Prairie is located in Minnesota's 3rd congressional district, represented by Jim Ramstad, a moderate Republican who scores 20% progressive and 79% conservative on a range of issues. City Council Officials include Mayor Phil Young and Council Members Brad Aho, Sherrie Butcher, Jon Duckstad and Kathy Nelson. Scott Neal is the City Manager.Economy
Today, Eden Prairie is home to more than 2,200 businesses, including many that specialize in communications and information technology.| Businesses in Eden Prairie | |
|---|---|
| Fortune 500 Company Headquarters | |
| Company | Description |
| C.H. Robinson Worldwide | shipping logistics |
| Supervalu | grocery retail conglomerate |
| Other Company Headquarters | |
| Company | Description |
| Achieve Healthcare Technologies | software systems for eldercare |
| ADC Telecommunications | telecommunications and broadband hardware |
| Digital River | The Premier E-Commerce Solution for Software Publishers |
| Fargo Electronics | identity/security card systems |
| Golf Galaxy | national golf accessory retail chain |
| Help/Systems, Inc. | automated operation and business intelligence software systems |
| Highjump Software | Supply Chain Management Software |
| Kroll Ontrack Systems | computer forensics software and services |
| Lenox Group | manufacturer of porcelain china and collectables |
| Lifetouch | school photography, church directories and portraits,Jcpenny's and Target studios and Flash digital photography. |
| Minnesota Vikings | NFL football team |
| MTS Systems Corporation | Developers and Producers of world class automotive testing equipment. |
| ShopNBC | television shopping channel |
| Starkey Laboratories | world's largest hearing aid manufacturer |
| Stratasys | Manufacturer of FDM rapid prototyping machines |
| SuperSolutions Corp | Consumer Finance Software (Daybreak) for entire automated lending operations. Owned by i-flex Solutions, Inc. |
| SurModics | pharmaceutical delivery systems |
| Virtual Radiologic | tele-radiological software and interpretation services (moving to Eden Prairie in late 2008) |
| Xata | transportation logistics |
| Xiotech | data storage hardware solutions |
| Companies With Major Facilities | |
| Company | Description |
| Bose ElectroForce Systems Group | materials test instruments |
| Eaton Corporation, Hydraulics Division | industrial hydraulics technologies |
| Emerson Process Management | industrial measurement instrumentation, formerly Rosemount Engineering, now a division of Emerson |
| Fox Broadcasting Company | studios for KMSP-TV and WFTC-TV |
| GE Capital Fleet Services | commercial car leasing |
| Stellent | web content management software, recently acquired by Oracle Corporation |
| Sterling Commerce | transportation management system software (formerly Nistevo) |
Education
Public schools
The first school in Eden Prairie was Anderson School, a schoolhouse located near a farm. At the time of its construction, it was in the center of the city and thus an ideal spot. The old Eden Prairie Consolidated School, built in 1924, is now the school district Administration Building, and is located next to Central Kindergarten Center and Central Middle School.
Today Eden Prairie currently operates nine schools. Unlike other school districts in the state, Eden Prairie has an intermediate school (Oak Point) for grades five and six. Eden Prairie High School is the largest high school in the state, with 3,270 students, and is located near the grounds of Round Lake Park. Melissa Krull is the superintendent for the Eden Prairie School District.
| Public Schools in Eden Prairie | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten and Elementary School (Grades 1-4) | Intermediate School (Grades 5-6) | Junior High School (Grades 7-8) | High School (Grades 9-12) |
| Cedar Ridge | Oak Point | Central Middle School | Eden Prairie High School |
| Forest Hills | |||
| Prairie View | |||
| Eden Lake | |||
| Eagle Heights Spanish Immersion | |||
Charter schools
Eden Prairie has one publicly-funded charter school, Eagle Ridge Academy. This college preparatory school currently offers a rigorous classical, liberal arts curriculum to grades 6-11, with 12th grade being added in the 2007 – 2008 school year. The first graduating class for Eagle Ridge Academy will be the Class of 2008.Private schools
Eden Prairie has one private school, The International School of Minnesota, which offers a private education for students in grades preschool through 12.Colleges
There are three technical colleges in Eden Prairie:- Hennepin Technical College has an enrollment of roughly 7,000 full and part time students.
- ITT Technical Institute
specializes in courses on information technology, electronics, and drafting and design. ITT Technical Institute has an enrollment of approximately 170 students. - Rasmussen College specializes in business management, health, and technology. This campus opened on July 3, 2006 and replaced its former location in Minnetonka.
Eden Prairie Veterans Memorial
Eden Prairie was proud to raise over $400,000 within the community to build a veterans memorial in 2008, in a grassroots effort. The memorial has two components; service to country and world peace. It was constructed in Purgatory Creek Park near the intersection of Technology Drive & Prairie Center Drive. World class sculptor, Neil Brodin designed and constructed two bronze sculptures. The service to country sculpture represents a wounded airman carried over the shoulders of a soldier of the battle field. The world peace sculpture depicts a woman service member touch the world globe, honoring women who have served. Members of the community were able to purchase a place on the memorial for the name of a loved one who served in any branch of U.S. service, without regard to any particular war or conflict. Minnesota based Cold Spring Granite provided Messabi black granite for the walls of the memorial.Notable natives
- Andrew Alberts, National Hockey League player for the Boston Bruins
- Leith Anderson, president of the U.S. National Association of Evangelicals
- Laurie Coleman, actress and wife of United States Senator Norm Coleman
- Jay Foreman, National Football League player
- Alla Ilushka, beauty queen and Miss USA 2007 contestant
- Mark LeVoir, National Football League player
- Lúcia Moniz, Portuguese actress and singer (attended Eden Prairie High School)
- Allison Pottinger, world champion curler (current resident)
- Robert Remus, aka Sgt. Slaughter wrestler (former long-time Eden Prairie resident)
- Andrew Rudkin Matthews, aka Dru Matthews, Rockstar and notable Eden Prairie High School Alumnus
Youth sports associations
Basketball
Eden Prairie Boys Basketball Association offers both a travel and in-house program. Each season, 1,300 boys participate. Registration is held in September. Rookie League (grades K-1) begins play October through December. The second grade program runs on Saturday mornings from December through March and is a fundamentals-only program. In-house evaluations for grades 3-12 are held in November with league play beginning late November through March. The Southwest League for grades 6-8 plays other communities with a tournament weekend in March. The travel program runs from October through March. Travel tryouts for grades 5-8 are held in October.The Eden Prairie Girls Basketball Association offers developmental training sessions beginning with girls in grade 2 and runs from January through February. Developmental in-house intramural play, with one practice and one game each week, is offered to girls grades 3-12. Registration is in September and evaluations are in October with the season running from December through March. Clinics and tournaments are held throughout the year. A travel program is available to grades 5-8 with two practices per week and weekend games. Registration is in August with the season running from November through March. EPGBA also sponsors a 3-on-3 summer league and clinics.
Baseball
The Eden Prairie Baseball Association has over 1,850 players, ages 4-18, in both in-house and travel leagues. Registration is usually held in February with the season beginning in April and playoff tournaments in July. Youth are separated by age or grade level. A travel league is available for youth ages 10-18, tryouts are in April. The Association's 15 directors, 12 associate directors, 13 commissioners and over 500 head and assistant coaches are all volunteers.Football
More than 800 youth in grades 3-8 learn the fundamentals of football, sportsmanship, discipline and the importance of team play. Each participant will learn to play offense and defense positions. Teams are formed with an equal distribution of talent and weight limits are established for each grade. Registration is held in May. Equipment pickup and skills evaluation are both in August with the season running August through October. Grades 4-8 will play out of town games. Summer camps, led by Eden Prairie High School Head Football Coach Mike Grant , are also held to refine skills.Ice Hockey
As the third largest hockey organization in Minnesota, the Eden Prairie Hockey Association serves more than 800 boys and girls from age 4-18. They learn the skills and strategies involved in hockey while having fun. Registrations and tryouts are held in September with the season running from November to March. Rookie camps are held in the fall and spring. Nine-year-olds and older participate in travel teams playing against neighboring communities. A girls-only hockey experience with a ‘no checking’ policy is available for girls ages 14 and under.Lacrosse
The Eden Prairie Lacrosse Association offers programs for both boys and girls grades 3-12. Indoor season registration is in November and runs from January through March/April. The regular outdoor season registration is in March. The season runs from May 1st through July 31st. The summer leagues, camps and clinics run from June through August. Rental equipment is available for new players who may not want to immediately invest in equipment.Soccer
The Eden Prairie Soccer Association offers two seasons of recreational soccer to more than 4,000 youth aged between four (entering kindergarten in the fall) and 18 (in high school in the spring) in 12 age-segregated divisions. Spring registration is usually held in February with play running from May through June. Fall registration is in June with the season running from mid-August through mid-October. Teams meet twice a week with an emphasis on having fun and learning the game. Most practices and games are held at the Flying Cloud Fields but other Eden Prairie park fields are also used.The Eden Prairie Soccer Club offers a competitive travel soccer experience for youth ages seven and older to play in the spring and fall and a winter training program. Spring registration is usually in February, with the season running from May into July. Fall registrations are in August. All 800 players attend skill evaluation sessions and are placed at an appropriate team level. EPSC hosts the Eden Prairie Cup, a Midwest tournament with more than 30 brackets featuring teams from seven states and foreign countries.
Track and Field
Beginning in Spring 2006, children in grades K-6 will be able to participate in a six week track program with practice and instruction during the week, and meets each weekend. The goal of the program is to encourage kids to enjoy running, jumping, and throwing while also introducing them to the structure of track and field competition. Ribbons will be awarded at the meets. Registration is held in February; the track season will begin in April at local schools.Wrestling
The Eden Prairie Wrestling Club is a K-8th grade program; prior experience is not required. We make every effort to match experience and ability levels during practices. Like any sport, some athletes wrestle year-round, others (especially first and second year wrestlers) feel a three month season is adequate. To accommodate this we have two sessions: mid-November to mid-January and mid-January to mid-March.Facts
- The cult television comedy series, Mystery Science Theater 3000, was originated here by Joel Hodgson, and Eden Prairie is home to the show's production company Best Brains, Inc.
- The cult movie comedy Mallrats was filmed at the Eden Prairie Center mall (before remodeling).
- Scenes of the mockumentary comedy Drop Dead Gorgeous were filmed in the Eden Prairie Center mall parking lot, which is claimed to be the parking lot of the nearby Mall of America in the movie. The water tower with the clock is visible in the background.
- In the movie Fargo, the character Mike Yanagita lives in Eden Prairie and comments on the city's school district while dining with Marge at the Radisson. Documentry by Luis Rameriez features Parts of Eden Prairie in his film titled poverty in the burbs.
- The movie D3: The Mighty Ducks features fictitious Eden Hall Academy, whose name crosses Eden Prairie with Cretin-Derham Hall.
- The Prince film, Graffiti Bridge, got its title from an actual railroad bridge in northern Eden Prairie that crossed over Valley View Road. It was legal to spray graffiti on the bridge, and when the movie came out, a large mural of Prince was featured on the bridge. The bridge was torn down in the early 1990s when Valley View Road needed to be widened (the road narrowed to one lane under the bridge, with each direction of traffic taking turns to pass under). When the bridge was torn down, pieces of the bridge were sold as mementos along with a miniature newspaper article about the bridge.
- On March 4, 2002, President George W. Bush visited Eden Prairie High School, announcing his Quality Teacher Initiative .
- The Planes of Fame East air museum was located at Flying Cloud Airport until December 1997, at which time all of the museum's vintage airplanes were moved to Chino, California..
- In 2007, Sports Illustrated Magazine named Eden Prairie High School's sports program the best in the state of Minnesota.
References
External links
- City website
- Eden Prairie Independent School District #272
- Eden Prairie Council for the Gifted & Talented
- Eden Prairie Chamber of Commerce
- Eden Prairie Veterans Memorial
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Last updated on Friday October 10, 2008 at 22:13:21 PDT (GMT -0700)
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